Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-04
a STORY OF THE LATE WAR.
A Reporter Interviews a Lady Who
was a Blockade Runner.
FRAN ne Athtns tGa.) Banner- W"tc'n'an.

FfNm me Il bNeNN iON.l manner VHtC""'ftN'
A lady from one OF The upper counties
passed through Athens SATURDAY, and q
reporter learning that sbe was
once engaged in running the
blockade through the Yankee lines and
bringing large quantities Of goods for the
Southern people, at once went in search
Of her. He found the lady stopping al
her brothers. house, and made known ME
business.
The lady blockade runner is widow,
aud lived In Georgia before the war. She
married and went to Mississippi Just be-
fore war was declared and settled In
d. Soto county. below Memphis. DeSOto
mas always been noted tor being one OF
the richest but sicklIest counties in the
whole south. Cotton vas the principal
product OF the county, aud Memphis the
nearest trading point; hence all the
cotton WAS carried 10 that city, as
there were no railroads then through the
countrJ.
The war came on. and soon after the
irst gun was fred" said the lady block
adler, my hus band took sick and died,
aud left me alone with a large number OF
negroes and a biz cotton crop TO cuitl-
Vate. did not despair, but went To work
aud mad the cotton crop cultivated aud
Gathered. About this time the Yankees
captured Memphis and came down into
DeSoto and took OF all my negroes. |
concluded That IL was best Tor me to come
back to Georgia and make my home with
my father. So leaving all my co.,
ton packed up under the gin
house, l left for the Old red hills OF
Georgia. After being at home for several
months, heard that cotton was worth
ST per pound in Memphis In greenbacks,
aud informed my father that l lnlended
to return to Mississippl and run the
blockade into Memphis with the cotton,
and bring out things for the family and
the southern soldiers. My father tried to
persuade me not 10 undertake it, as |
might yet into trouble from both sides, as
the ConfederAtes would arrest me for
carrying cotton into Memphis, and the
Yankees would send me to some of the
Northern prisons for bringing con-
tIaband goods 10 the South. | d!d
not heed mis- warnings, and two weeks
later found me in DeSOtO county, Miss,
with a pair of oxen hitched to wagon
and two bales OF cotton on IL ready, vita
a crowd of other ladies, TO run The block
AIDE. IL was perilOus undertaking, as
Gen. \. b. Forrest, with his gallant COM
mand, was making frequent raids around
Memphis. and any one caught smuggling
in cotton was arrested and had their
property cOniiscated. This did not d. t
me, and together with a party of nice
ladies, who could have counted their
wealth by the millions before the war,
started with little boy seated on top OF
the WAGON driving. Our first trip
We made without meeting any OF
Gen. FORESTS or Gen. Van Dorn's com.
maud, and safely arrived at the picket
posts of the Yankees. Tney did not IN
teriefe, as they were only too anxious to
get all the cotton they could. Arriving
ia Memphis we readily sold our cotto for
81 per pound, and | found, after settling,
mat nsd over $500 IN greenbacks. We
did not know mucn about the money or
its value, but tOund that 81 won Il buy q
grs at deal more In Memphis than the Con-
tolerate money in the SOUTH. purchased
a large lot OF goods and medicines that |
knew the Southern soldiers needed, and
concealed them about my person, or COW
cred hem up in the wagon. bought a
splendid pair OF cavalry boots for my
brother, who was then in the Confederate
service, hut the trouble with me was
how to get them through the Yankee
lines, a. | knew thev were contraband
and would be cOutiscated. | put the
boots on over my SHOES and brought
them through without being detected.
After our party mad bought all they
could, We started with Our wagons well
o.
ourselves, we'll loaded with things con-
traba nd. Our only fear now was the
Yankee pickets, as they would not let us
carry anything OUT II they could help il.
Major Morgan was in front. and | was
fearful we would all be arrested and sent
to Northern prison. The outs[ picket
post was reached, and we were halted,
| saw at glance that the officer
in command - asonic pin and
Masonry, and at once
Town TO him, and it served
Ulcer IN command passed
the wl61e party through without even ex.
aiming our wagons. Our first trip was
very successful, aud turned out not only
profitable TO ourselves, but did a'great
deal OF good tor the Confederacy. [ ran
the blockade after my first trip several
times and disposed OF all my cotton at
biz price and brought large quantities Of
things needed by the Confederate govern
ment through the Yankee lines. had a
great many narrow escapes while running
the blockade. but | always managed 10
come out safe, and am now willing to live
quiet lie for the balance of my days.